It is nowadays, in many jurisdictions, mandatory for sports people participating in certain sports, including cricket, to wear suitable head protection. In the case of cricket, for example, such head protection comprises a helmet having an essentially rigid outer shell, intended to spread or dissipate forces associated with impact by an airborne cricket ball to prevent injury especially to the wearer's head above the level of the ears and eyes, and usually a faceguard to protect the face and ears. However, there have been isolated incidents in which injury to the head or face has been sustained by virtue of secondary impact, following primary impact between the helmet or faceguard and the ball, between the helmet and the head or face of the user. There is, therefore, a need to provide improved helmets in which the possibility of injury being sustained through the agency of the helmet itself is minimized, while at the same time keeping the weight and size of the helmet to a minimum. In other sports or pastimes, including for example field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse and cycling and irrespective of legislation relating to the use of helmets, their use may be recommended as a matter of common sense. Risks may occur not just with possible impact with an airborne ball or other object but also where the wearer may suffer a fall or some other event resulting in a head impact, and the availability of a helmet which dissipated impact forces while being comfortable to wear would clearly be advantageous.